Sunday, January 21, 2007

WVW eNEWS - January 19, 2007

West Virginia Writers, Inc. opened its Annual Spring Writing Competition this month, and all poets - including young writers - have ways to participate in the 2007 edition that offers $6,500 in cash prizes. The official deadline is a March 15 postmark date.Poetry categories are:- Long Poetry: Poetry over 20 lines in length; any form.- Short Poetry: Poetry 20 lines or shorter in length; any form.- Emerging Writers: Poetry. Any poetry form, any length.- Young Writers Poetry: Any poetry form, any length.- Poetry for Elementary G 1-4; Middle School G 5-8.

A West Virginia Poetry Slam is scheduled for Friday Jan. 26, 7:30 p.m. at Fannin Chappel in Sherman, WV, ( just north of Ravenswood). There is no admission, though nominal donations would be gladly accepted by sponsors. If you're interested in participating, there will be more information on signing up. Sign up upon arrival. This event is open to all ages and please keep your hosts in mind when selecting works to recite, so try and keep it reasonably "clean". Questions? contact Andrea Parkins andreaparkins@earthlink.net or, susannaholstein@yahoo.com

The Friends Wilderness Center (in cooperation with The Writer’s Center of Bethesda, MD) present Maryhelen ("Mel") Snyder, writer and educator, and Friends Wilderness Poet Ron Weber - plus other poets and poetry lovers - for a winter morning of reading and discussing poetry around the fire at Niles Cabin.

The theme will be "Finding God in Poetry." This will use the reading and writing of poetry to bridge the divide between theism and non-theism. Quoting the sponsor, "God has been depicted in poetry from its early beginnings in singing praise, yet as the poet Rile writes, God essentially remains "the nameless one." Readings of Whitman, Hopkins, Rile, others for inspiring your own poetry and poetic prose. Bring your own or other relevant poetry to read, if you like. Poetry listeners are valued as much as poetry readers. Show up at 9:30 a.m. at Niles Cabin at the Friends Wilderness Center. Program begins at 10 a.m. until mid-afternoon. There's a break or a bag lunch. A nominal case donation is suggested for participation.

LODGING OPTION - The Friends Wilderness Center (www.friendswilderness.org) sits on a forested mountainside - 1400 acres between the Appalachian Trail and the Shenandoah River - near Charles Town, WV, 60 miles northwest of the DC Beltway. Call Sheila Bach at 304-728-4820 to RSVP and directions. The Center has 2 guest rooms for "retreatants" -- for a $60/person one receives a dinner, bed with full glass door looking out into the wilderness, full breakfast. Sheila Bach is the contact person. Other options: Hilltop Inn in Harpers Ferry, maybe 15 miles away. Plus, the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club has cabins within an hour, and a big house in Harpers Ferry - all for rent. Camping is available at Friends Wilderness.